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Labour Day
Activists worldwide will march in May Day rallies Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. The day is a public holiday in many countries, and demonstrations, some of which have turned violent in the past, are expected in many of the world's major cities. "Working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trump's war in the Middle East," the European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 93 trade union organisations in 41 European countries, said. "Today's rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed." In the United States, activists opposing US President Donald Trump's policies are planning marches and boycotts. Here's what to know about May Day Rising energy prices and living costs -------------------------------------------- Rising living costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East are e
Eight people were killed and 50 others were wounded in dozens of shootings in Chicago over the Labour Day weekend, according to police. Between Friday night and Monday night, a total of 58 people were shot in 37 separate shootings in the nation's third-largest city, according to preliminary information from police. Most involved one victim, but multiple people were injured in three of the shootings. Most victims were in good or fair condition, but several were listed in serious or critical condition. In a handful of cases, police said a person of interest was being questioned, but in most, no suspect was in custody. Over Labour Day weekend last year, seven people were killed, six of them by gunfire, and more than 20 others were wounded in shootings over the holiday weekend, police said. The number of shootings reflects a common occurrence in Chicago, particularly over long holiday weekends in summer, when some areas on the city's West and South sides, in particular, experience ...
Protesters took to the streets in multiple US cities on Labor Day to criticize President Donald Trump and demand a living wage for workers. Demonstrations in Chicago and New York were organized by One Fair Wage to draw attention to the struggles laborers face in the US, where the federal minimum wage is USD 7.25 an hour. Chants of Trump must go now! echoed outside the president's former home in New York, while protesters gathered outside a different Trump Tower in Chicago, yelling No National Guard and Lock him up! Large crowds also gathered in Washington D.C. and San Francisco. In New York, people gathered outside Trump Tower, which has become a magnet for protests and remains a prominent symbol of the president's wealth, even though the president hasn't lived in the Manhattan skyscraper for years. Demonstrators waved signs and banners calling for an end to what they said is a fascist regime. In Washington, a large crowd gathered with signs saying Stop the ICE invasion and an ...
Noting that the average pay for CEOs in India has reached USD 2 million a year, a new study by research and advocacy group Oxfam said the average pay for global CEOs surged by 50 per cent in real terms since 2019, against a 0.9 per cent hike in average worker's wages. Every hour, billionaires pocket more wealth than the average worker earns in an entire year, the analysis said, underlining that the average gender pay gap in 11,366 corporations worldwide narrowed slightly from 27 per cent to 22 per cent between 2022 and 2023 -- yet their average female employee still effectively works for free on Fridays, while their average male employee is paid through the week. "This is a 50 per cent real-term increase from USD 2.9 million in 2019 (adjusted for inflation) -- a rise that far outpaces the real wage growth of the average worker, who saw a 0.9 per cent increase over the same five-year period in countries where CEO pay data is available," the analysis said. Ireland and Germany have som
Shouting banzai! or live long, thousands of people gathered in a Tokyo park on Thursday and marched through the streets to the banging of traditional drums, as Japan kicked off celebrations to mark May Day. The holiday, also known as International Workers' Day or Labour Day, marks the struggles and achievements of workers and the labour movement around the world. Thousands of people are expected to attend rallies and marches across the US, including in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. For our children to be able to live with hope, the rights of workers must be recognised, said Junko Kuramochi, a member of a mothers' group who marched in Japan's capital. US organisers say their message this year is focused on fighting back against President Donald Trump's policies targeting immigrants, federal workers and diversity initiatives. Even in Japan, some said Trump's policies hung over the day like a shadow. One truck in the Tokyo march featured a doll that looked like ...